Tilling-machine.



C. OWENS.

TILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5.191s.

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TILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5.191s.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

C. OWENS.

TILLING MACHINE.

APPLlCATlON FILED JUNE 5. 19m.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

C. OWENS.

TILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5.1913.

Awaylimvemfwm' 2 e1? Gwen/$ Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

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CHARLES OWENS, 0F CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE.

' TILLING-M-AGHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

Application filed June 5, 1918. Serial No. 238,380.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES Owens, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chattanooga, Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tilling-Machines, of which. the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for tilling the soil in which rotary tilling implements turning about substantially vertical axes are arranged at the rear of the machine, and are driven from the traction wheel.

The invention consists in the features and combination and arrangements of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying my improvement.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the traction wheels with the mechanism immediately associated therewith, the front portion of the machine being omitted.

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the machine.

. Fig. 4 is an elevation of parts shown in Fig. 2, the traction wheel being removed, but indicated in dotted lines, and some of the parts being shown in section.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified rotating head with the tilling blades mounted directly thereon.

In these drawings It indicates the traction wheels, each being mounted ona shaft as at a, these shafts being in alinement and connected with difi'erential gear mechanism inclosed in a casing a", this differential mechanism being substantially the same as that well known, for instance in the Ford automobile. 1 is a bevel gear connected to the hub of the traction wheel in any suitable way. 3 is a bevel pinion carried by a vertical shaft 4' mounted in a bracket 4, which has a sleeve portion 4 adapted to turn about the shaft housing a. This sleeve of bracket 4 has a long bearing on the shaft housing and near the inner ends of these sleeve portions bearings 5 are provided to receive the pivot pins of the rearwardly extending beams 5. These beams are adapted to turn, in a horizontal direction, or are at rightangles to the direction in which the sleeve bracket 4 can turn about the axle housing a.

At the rear ends of the beams 5 are vertical sleeves or bearings 5, in which shafts 13 are journaled, said shafts being sustained by collars 13' fixed thereto and resting on the or hearing 5". The roll 9 is kept in contact with the periphery of the fixed cam by the pressure resulting from the passage of the blades 8 carried thereby through the soil. The shafts 13 are rotated by sprocket wheels 14 on their upper ends, each of which in turn is operated by a sprocket chain 14 driven from a sprocket 14" which is connected with a sprocket wheel 12 on a stud 12, extending up from the inner end of the bracket 4. The sprocket 12 is driven from a sprocket wheel 11 on the shaft 4i.

It will be noticed that the axes of the sprockets l2 and 14; are coincident with the pivot pins of the beams 5, so that these beams can swing laterally on their pivots, while maintaining the driving connection to the vertical shafts 13 from the said sprockets 12 and 14', and further the beams 5 can have movement in a vertical plane by the turning of the sleeve bracket 4 about the axle housing without disturbing the driving'connection from the sprocket wheels 11 to the rotating heads, because these sprocket wheels 11, together with the pinions 3 and the sprockets 12 are all mounted on the sleeve bracket 4 and thus in all positions that the beams 5 may assume in a vertical plane the connection between the pinion 3 and the gear wheel 1' will be maintained. Thus the beam 5 may have both lateral swinging movement, or adjustment, and a movement in a vertical plane.

For adjusting the sleeve bracket 4: about the shaft housing a I provide a quadranton the sleeve bracket which is engaged by a toothed segment 14*, which is carried by a lever 15 pivotally mounted on the frame 24. This lever may be operated, either by the hand or foot, for which latter purpose foot rests 15 are provided. The lever 15 may be held in any of its adjusted positions by a spring catch 15 engaging openings in a segment 15.

Clutches are provided at 1? controlled by the hand levers 18 for disengaging the driving mechanism leading to the rotary heads. The beams 5 are provided with a slot, or opening, at so, through which extend tongue members 19. These are fixed to the frame, or are fixed to the sleeve brackets at 19, so as to turn therewith and maintain their relation to the beams 5 in a vertical direction.

lhese members are provided with arcshaped portions 19 which have elongated openings receiving locking pins 19 extending down through a suitable bearing formed on the beams 5, so that the beams may be set at the desired angle with the rotating cultivator or tilling heads at the desired distances apart. Some lateral play is allowed to the beams 5 withinthelimits' of the slots. The locking pins may be withdrawn if desired, and the beams may be controlled by means of plow handles attached thereto.

At 21 i show a projection extending from the rotary sleeve bracket l, which cooperates with an adjustable stop 22 depending from the frame for regulating the depth of the tilling blades 8, the said arm 21 abutting against the lower end of the said stop to limit the downward swinging movement of the beam 5 with the rotating head 6, and the blades 8. As stated the-stop 22 may be adjusted vertically to change the depth to which the cutting blades may go.

lhese blades may be of different lengths, or rather in sets of difderent lengths, so that by taking out one set and putting in other different depths may be cut. The blades do not rotate inor follow a path concentric with the shaft 13, but by reason of mounting them upon the oscillating carriers '2' and changing the positions of these carriers at the different points around the center of head by means of the rolls 9 working on the periphery of the stationary cam the position of the blades is constantly changing in relation to the soil being cut or tilled.

The blades at the advance periphery or path of rotation always present a proper cutting surface in their relation to both the forward and rotary travel of the rotating heads while on the side of the rotating heads the blades present a vertical surface to the line of travel to avoid resistance, while those blades which are at the rear part of the periphery of travel present a pulverising or crushing surface to loosen the soil, the entire action being calculated to assist the traction action of the tractor wheels.

When the sleeve brackets a are rotated by means of the segmental gears to raise the filling heads from the soil the levers 18 are brought against stops 18 on the frame and the clutch% 17 are thus thrown out of oper ation automatically, and the rotation of the the blades of the other head in Contact with the ground, is enabled to turn the machine with greater facility than if both heads are left in use.

I show in Fig. 5 a modified construction of the support of, the blades in which the carriers 7 and the cam 10 are eliminated, and instead each blade is pivotally mounted on a shaft loosely journaled in the rotary head 6*. The forward edge of each blade reaches in to the center of the shaft which carries it, and each blade is independent of the other blades. As the rotating head 6* advances with the onward movement of the machine the blades naturally accommodate themselves to the position of least resistance in the soil, and theyare constantly changing and are thus stirring up the soil in these changing actions.

The engine for driving the machine is indicated at A. This is connected up to any suitable transmission mechanism which is well known in the art and which includes the difierential inclosed in the casing A before mentioned.

lhe drivers seat is indicated at B and the steering wheel at C. This may be connected up through the sprocket chains and suitable sprocket wheels with the ordinary steering shaft D.

It will be seen from the above that the tilling' units or heads are arranged one on each side of the line of draft; that they are independently driven from a common diderential transmission and that they are independently controlled at the will of the operator not only as to adjustment but to effect the steering of the machine by using either one or the oth r unit as a means for placing the load or resistance on either the one side or the other of the line of draft and in rear of the traction wheel making either one or the other traction wheel the fulcrum point around which the load tends to swing the machine, this effect being accomplished by raising one of the heads while leaving the other in the ground.

And it will be further observed that the angular relation of the blades to the soil can be changed at the will of the operator which combined with the rotary motion of the heads carrying the blades and the changing positions of the blades at different oints of their travel will give diderent tillmg or pulverizing effects.

l claim 1. In a tilling machine, traction wheels, shaft sections, one for each wheel, a differential gear transmission between said shaft asasee sections, a pair of rotary heads at the rear of the machine rotating about substantially vertical axes and means for driving said rotating heads independently, one of said means being connected to and driven from one traction wheel and the other being connected to and driven from the other traction wheel, substantially as described.

2. In a tilling machine, traction wheels, shaft sections, one for each wheel, a differential gear transmission between said shaft sections, rotary brackets turning about said shaft sections, rotary heads connected with and supported from the rotary brackets to be moved up and down by the turning of said brackets, means for turning said brackets to raise or lower the rotary heads in relation to the ground being tilled, an independent driving connection for each rotary head and blades carried by the rotary heads to work in the ground, substantially as described.

3. In a tilling machine, traction wheels, shaft sections, one for each wheel, a differential gear transmission between the shaft sections, rotary heads, blades carried thereby to work in the ground, an independent driving connection from each rotary head leading back to the shaft sections'belonging thereto, and means for raising and lowering the rotary heads with their blades independently of each other, substantially as described.

l. In combination in a tilling machine, traction wheels, shafts therefor, members turnable about the shafts, beams extending rearward from said members, rotary heads mounted in the beams to turn about substantially vertical axes, means for turning the said members to raise or lower the beams with the rotary heads independently of each other and blades carried by the heads to work in the ground, substantially as described.

5. In combination in a tilling machine, traction wheels, shafts therefor, members turnable about the shafts, beams extending rearward from said members, rotary heads mounted in the beams to turn about substantially vertical axes, means for turning the said members to raise or lower the beams with the rotary heads independently of each other and blades carried by the heads to work in the ground, said beams being mounted to have lateral adjustment substantially as described.

6. In combination in a tilling machine, traction wheels, shafts therefor, members turnable about the shafts, beams extending rearward from said members, rotary heads mounted in the beams to turn about substantially vertical axes, means for turning the said members to raise or lower the beams with the rotary heads independently of each other and blades carried by the heads to work in the ground, said beams being .mounted to have lateral swinging adjustment, substantially as described. I

7. In combination in a tilling machine, traction wheels, shafts therefor, members turnable about the shafts, beams extending rearward from said members, rotary heads mounted in the beams to turn about substantially vertical axes, means for turning the said members to raise or lower the beams with the rotary heads independently of each other and blades carried by the heads to work in the ground, said beams being mounted to have lateral swinging adjustment, and segmental pieces to which the beams may be connected in their difierent positions, substantially as described.

8. In combination in a tilling machine, rotary heads, blades to work in the ground carried thereby, a driving connection for each rotary head, a clutch for each driving connection, means 'for operating the clutches independently so that the rotation of each rotary head may be arrested and means for raising and lowering each rotary head independently of the other, said clutch operating means operating automatically when the corresponding head is lifted from the ground, substantially as described.

9. In a tilling machine, a rotary head, blades carried thereby to work in the ground, said blades being movably supported to turn about their vertical axes in rea spect to their general paths of travel whereby their angu ar positions may be changed at different points in said paths of travel with the hea 10. In combination in a tilling machine, a rotary head, tilling blades carried thereby to work in the ground and means for changing the position of the blades about their vertical axes and in relation to their general path of travel about the axis of the head as they revolve about the same, substantially as described.

11. In combination in a tillin machine, a rotary head, tilling blades carried thereby to work in the ground and means for changing the position of the blades about their vertical ,axes and in relation to their general path of travel about the axis of the head as they revolve about the same, said means including a cam fixed in relation to the rotary head.

12. In combination in a tilling machine, a rotary head, tilling blades carried thereby to work in the ground and means for changing the position of the blades in relation to their general path of travel about the axis of the head as they revolve about the same, said means including a cam fixed in relation to the rotary head and pivoted supports carried by the head and carrying the tilling blades, said supports being turned by engagement with said cam, substantially as described.

13. In combination rotary head, tilling b work in the ground and means the position of the blades in re general path of travel about the head they revolve about the are, said means including a cam fixed in r lation to the rotary head and pivoted snooorts carried by the head and carrying the tilling blades, said supports being turned by engagement with said cam, said su ports being held in working engagement t LllB cam by the pressure from the soil, substantially as descri" ed.

1%. n a tilling machine, till' tools o blades arranged on opposite sides of the line of draft, traction wheels in of which the blades operate, common d ing men her for the blades he ntial action, and means und orator WAQI'EbY the of the line of draft is varied in respect to the work o rformed or blad s on the other side draft whereby the operator is steer the machine,

changing on to their is of the he control or the on one side ling blade 15, In combination in a tilli aclrine, rotary head, tilling blades cart; 16133 work in the ground ans means or changing to their lation to 1- being tilled, substantially as descubed.

16; In combination in a tilling machine, traction wheels, a shaft section for ease wheel, differential transmission means between shaft sections, tilling implements, one on each side of the line of draft, a connection from each tilling implement to the shaft section individual thereto and means under the control of the operator for varying the position of the tilling implements in relation to the ground being worked to assist in steering the machine, substantially as described.

17. In combination in a tilling machine, traction wheels, members turnabl-e about the axis of the wheels, rotary heads having tilling blades,beams pivotally connected to said members to swing in a direction at rightangles to the plane of rotation of said members, and driving connections for said ros connected to the traction wheels ding therefrom to the i otal axis ins and thence along said beams means for adjusting said embers independently to raise or both heads said heads bem i sides of the line of draft, substantially as described.

18 In comoination in a tilling machine, traction wheels, members turnable about the axis of the wheels, rotary heads having tilling blades, beams pivotally connected to said members to swing in adirection at; right angles to the plane of rotation of said members. and driving connections for said rotary heads connected to the traction wheels and extending therefrom to the pivotal axis of the beams and thence along said beams to the heads, means for adwstmg said tnrnabl members incependently to raise or lower either both heads, said heads being the line of draft, and

(j means for the traction I as described.

achine, traction wheels,

on opposite s' l differential wheels, subs 19, tillr i- .nig the differential tilling heads, means reads from one side ing and means for 1 from the other side cans for raising and tions, a ari; a M

t and lowering the heads y describes tilling machine, a nts, one on each side rential transmission rem one side of the implement to drive rem the other side of to the other tilling impletraction wheels and a the working relation of plement in respect to the in steering the machine. 21, in a otor lriven tilling machine, a pair of tractor wheels, a pair of tilling implements, one on each side of the line of draft, difierential transmission gearing, a connection from one side thereof to the traction wheel and tilling implement on one side of the line draft, and aconnection from he other side of the transmission gearing o the traction wheel and tilling implement in the other side of the line of draft and means for Varying the working relation of tilling implement in respect to the round to airin steering; the machine, subtantially as described.

In testimony whereof, l affix my signature.

CHARLES @WENS.

to drive the s means ror n 3 M- as 

